JB

Here's a great joke that's been making the rounds, and has been attributed to Tom Delay. I'm quoting a version courtesy of Eugene Volokh:

American to Frenchman: "Do you speak German?"

Frenchman: "No."

American: "You're welcome."

Come on, that's funny, guys.

And here's another one I'm sure you'll enjoy equally well:

Frenchman to American: "Are you a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of England?

American: "No."

Frenchman: "You're welcome."

Yes, I'm afraid its true. The Frenchies pulled our proverbial chestnuts out of the fire in 1778 when the Marquis de Lafayette arrived to whip our troops into shape, and France recognized our government and signed the the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Once France entered the war on the side of the Americans,
Great Britain was forced to defend the rest of its empire, fearing attacks in, among other places, the West Indies. They scattered their troops and resources, making them too weak to battle the Americans effectively in the colonies.

The French played a crucial role in the endgame too. By August 1781, Washington and Rochambeau (yes, a frog, if you are wondering) learned that a large French fleet under Admiral Francois de Grasse (zut alors, un autre frog!) was headed toward Virginia to prevent General Cornwallis from escaping by sea. That led Washington and Rochambeau to rush their forces southward to Virginia to trap Cornwallis on land. (In fact, although Washington had wanted to stay up north and attack New York, it was Rochambeau who convinced him that the best strategy was to turn south. Very devious, those frenchies!) By September 1781, Cornwallis knew his goose was cooked, as a combined French and American force of about 18,000 soldiers and sailors surrounded him at Yorktown. (Mon Dieu!) He surrendered on October 19, 1781. The treaty recognizing independence was not signed until 1783, appropriately enough, at Paris. However, during this period, the interests of the French and Americans began to diverge, (as they would so many times in the future) and the Americans negotiated a separate peace.

In any case, mes amis français, merci beaucoup! Je penserai à vous sur le 4ème juillet!

UPDATE: By the way, who exactly is this Tom De Lay guy, anyway? Is that a *French* name?

Better keep an eye on him.